On the Grill: Chicken Kabobs

When the weather warms up, the grill turns on, giving you many options for healthy eating. After a few times in front of the flame though, it’s easy to get stuck using the same old recipes over and over. Steaks on Fridays, grilled chicken on Wednesday, cheeseburgers on Sunday…It’s time to spice up your grilling routine. Kabobs are a great one dish meal that gives you the meat and veggies you need. Add some brown rice or a bean salad and you’ve got a filling, healthy dinner. To suit all kinds of tastes, we’ve got a couple different recipes requiring just a little effort and resulting in big taste.

Sweet

Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs via Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

¼ cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic
5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
Skewers

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Savory

Chicken Teriyaki Kabobs via Damn Delicious

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons honey
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch chunks
Sesame seeds for garnish
Sliced green onions for garnish
Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and ¼ cup water. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic powder, honey and 1 cup water; bring to a simmer. Stir in cornstarch mixture until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes; let cool to room temperature.

3. In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine teriyaki marinade and chicken; marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight, turning the bag occasionally

4. Preheat grill to medium high heat.

5. Thread chicken onto skewers. Add skewers to the grill and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side

6. Serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and green onion if desired.

These two recipes are a great way to start the summer, but chicken kabobs are a very versatile dish, so don’t be afraid to experiment with your own marinades. All you need to do now is stock up on skewers and start grilling!